Program Manager - Food Safety

Anticipated Date of Hire:
August 17, 2026

Salary Range: $67.66 – $75.84 HOURLY

The Program Manager is an integral member of the health unit management team and Agency, providing vision and leadership, and fostering development of knowledge, skills, attitudes, and innovations which support excellence in the delivery of public health programs in the Environmental Health Department, including the Food Safety program.

The Program Manager provides leadership in directing and participating in the development, implementation, and evaluation of the Food Safety program, and actively contributes to the achievement of Agency and Departmental goals.

The Program Manager will ensure alignment with relevant provincial standards under the Ontario Public Health Standards in food safety in advancing evidence-informed strategies that address risks to priority populations and emerging environmental health threats such as those posed by climate change and extreme weather events. Responsibilities include management of staff and program resources including budget input/monitoring/reporting; management of the Food Safety program including annual operational planning, program standards review;

and ongoing staff development and program improvement.

This position acts as a representative of the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit at the local, regional, provincial and national level.

• Oversee and manage program staff and program resources to meet the ongoing and changing needs of the program and the department.
• Manage Program area, including annual Operational Planning, Program Standards, Evaluation and Reporting, while ensuring compliance with Ministry guidelines.
• Oversee the implementation of food safety management strategies including risk assessment, surveillance, inspection and public education.
• Experience using Hedgehog for monitoring and reporting of food safety performance at a staff and program level.
• Ensure staff meet professional standards and customer service goals, through staff coaching & development, and encourage and initiate improvements in all areas of environmental health, including timely implementation and effectively managing multiple, complex issues as they arise.
• Contribute to overall agency management, promotion, and development. Contribute and participate in the Agency and Department continuous quality improvement and innovation activities.
• Actively contribute to team and agency effectiveness.

• Demonstrated understanding of relevant public health legislation, protocols and professional standards;
• Demonstrated knowledge and experience with the application of population health and health promotion principles including advanced skills and experience in program planning, implementation and evaluation;
• Demonstrated leadership skills including team building and creative problem-solving, and proven resource and program management skills;
• Demonstrated risk assessment critical thinking skills, diplomacy and political astuteness;
  Demonstrated ability to model, support and serve as a mentor for skills development with assigned staff;
• Demonstrated ability to performance manage assigned staff
• Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively with all health unit staff, managers and community partners;
• Demonstrated interpersonal communication skills including negotiation, collaboration, facilitation, consultative and conflict management skills;
• Demonstrated oral communications skills and demonstrated experience in presenting information to individuals and groups for the purpose of setting priorities, accessing resources, defining policy and procedure and influencing program or agency direction;
• Demonstrated written communications skills and demonstrated experience creating project proposals, research articles, technical documents and correspondence to communicate to professional audiences, policy makers, and the general public;
• Demonstrated time management and organizational skills, results-oriented, and ability to meet deadlines;
• Experience in project management, including planning, execution and delivery; and,
• Demonstrated fiscal responsibility for managing…